Not Quite Parker – Screen

Not Quite Parker

(but close enough)

Screen

As most Parker readers know, although Parker novels have been adapted for the screen seven times, the on-screen character has never exactly been the ruthless thief who appears in the novels. It seems fitting, then, to cover films that are Parker-like in spirit in addition to those with official roots in the Stark books–these films often seem much closer to Stark’s vision than Jim Brown in The Split or the female Parker in Made in U.S.A., for example. This section will cover films of interest to Parker readers, that are similar to the Parker novels in terms of themes, characters, or major plot elements.

Parker, Hong Kong Style: Two films, Full Contact and Devil and Angel, that bear more than a passing resemblance to Point Blank…

The Limey: Career criminal Terrance Stamp will stop at nothing to get what he wants…

The Driver: Heists, double-crosses, and car chases in the Parker tradition. Well, maybe not the car chases…

City of Industry: Harvey Keitel in a crime film whose plot bears a remarkable resemblance to The Sour Lemon Score…

Other Suggestions

I’ve got my own perceptions of what makes a Not Quite Parker film, and other Parker readers have their own. The following are films Parker readers might enjoy that have been suggested by fellow fans; either I haven’t seen them yet or haven’t deemed them close enough to Parker by my standards (but not necessarily yours!). (Linked to Internet Movie Database entries.)

Ennis Willie, author of the Sand shockers, has passed away at 80. I have several of his novels, but have only reviewed one to date. Here's what I wrote up on Death in a Dead Place, originally published as Passion Has No Rule Book.
https://t.co/y0snjyB2Ek